


Here, With You

by MajesticAnna



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Kageyama Tobio's Birthday, M/M, Slice of Life, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 04:05:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17114135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MajesticAnna/pseuds/MajesticAnna
Summary: Kageyama doesn't ask for a winter miracle... but he gets one, anyway.***Birthday celebrations had never seemed that important to Tobio. His birthday often went unnoticed with the stress of the end of the year, so he never minded spending the day alone.The corners of his lips twitched upward. Spending his birthday with Hinata sounded too good to be true. A whole day together, holding each other’s hands while their noses turned red, drinking hot tea to escape the wintry weather, smiling secretly to themselves, as if they were the only two people left in the world...Yeah, Tobio thought. Maybe this birthday would be the best one yet.





	Here, With You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [words_are_like_colors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/words_are_like_colors/gifts).



> Hello! This was written for [Silvio](https://words-are-like-colors.tumblr.com/) for the 2018 [Haikyuu Secret Santa Exchange](https://haikyuusecretsanta.tumblr.com/). I hope you enjoy this soft, slice of life I wrote for you!
> 
> Also, Happy Birthday to Kageyama Tobio! I love my soft, volleyball son. (Shh, it's still the 22nd, here, ahah).

“Kaggggeeyamaaaaaa-kun!”

Tobio stopped in place, rolling his eyes. However, he could not stifle the light blush from tinting his cheeks. He turned around to greet the small force running to meet him. Tobio reached out his hand, a tingle emanating from his fingertips. Even though they had been together for a few weeks, touching Hinata’s skin still brought a sense of excitement, the butterflies bursting from his chest.

“What are you so excited about?” Tobio asked. He linked their fingers together, and resumed his walk to school.

“Nothing,” Hinata replied in a sing-song voice. “I’m just excited to see my beautiful boyfriend again.”

Tobio’s ears flushed from the compliment, but he stopped his twitching lips from forming a smile. He couldn’t let Hinata know how much his words affected him. “Shut up, dumbass.”

“Tch.” Hinata shook his head. “You’re no fun.” He pushed Tobio playfully. Tobio shoved him back. Hinata’s eyes sharpened, his gaze turning into one of steel. With as much strength as he could muster, he threw his weight into Tobio. Tobio stumbled, but he was not one to back down. Thus, a war began between the two parties, each fighting to maintain control. By the time they had reached the school gates, Hinata was latched onto Tobio’s back, pulling his hair and laughing while Tobio tried to pry his hands off.

“Baka!” Tobio screamed, finally wrestling the slippery Hinata off his back. “Stop it!”

“You usually don’t mind it when I pull your hair like that.” Hinata said, with a wink.

Tobio blinked, his audio processors sifting through the words coming through his eardrums. All at once, the blood drained out of his face, only to return a second later in a rushing flood, turning his whole face a bright red. Tobio’s breath caught, and he tried to stutter out a reply. “Hinata—I—what the—you—um—uh.”

The bell rang, warning the students of the impending classes. Hinata turned to the school, and then turned back, offering a teasing, “Bye, Kageyama.” He shot him another wink, before walking into the building.

Tobio stared after his boyfriend. Then, he slapped both of his hands against his cheeks and shook his head vigorously. He cursed expressively while trudging onward toward school. Screw Hinata, and his beautiful eyes, and his soft hands, and his cute grin and—.

Tobio shook his head vigorously. Right. School.

The day passed with its usual monotony. Tobio tried in vain to stay up for his classes, but he was still tired from the night before, staying up late to run as many volleyball drills as he could. He had mastered the art of not paying attention, staring off into space with a glazed expression and dreaming about volleyball plays (he did NOT dream about small hands holding his own).

“Kageyama.”

Tobio blinked himself out of his stupor, turning towards the voice. Hinata stood there, bento box in his hand. He grinned sheepishly, scratching his neck with an awkward air.

“Are we still eating lunch together, or are you mad at me?” Hinata asked, apology on his tongue.

Tobio thought back, trying to remember what Hinata had done that would make him upset. “No, why would I be angry with you?”

“Oh, uh,” Hinata coughed. “Because I made you all flustered and you know, ‘gwah!’ this morning?”

Tobio’s confusion cleared instantly, and he let out a choked, “oh.” He paused, recalibrated, and then mumbled, “I’m not mad about that.”

Hinata’s forced grin melted into a soft, genuine one. “Oh, good.” Tobio always felt an impulse to kiss the small dimple in his cheek when he smiled like this. But alas, they were still in school. “Well, ready for lunch?”

“Sure.”

The boys took their lunches down to the courtyard, chatting about the latest in volleyball news while they went. Yes, they were together, but they still enjoyed discussing new tactics or strategies for future games.

They sat down at a table and Hinata opened his lunchbox, continuing his train of thought. “And so I was thinking of going to practice serves this weekend or something, probably Sunday, if I can.” Hinata laughed. He fiddled with his hands as he talked, a nervous habit that Tobio found particularly enchanting.

Hinata ate some of his food, though Tobio noticed his hands shook a little while holding his chopsticks. Tobio frowned. Was he somehow making his boyfriend nervous?

Hinata placed his utensils down, and Tobio waited. Surprisingly, Hinata’s eyes lit up, as he turned to Tobio and asked, “What are your plans for the weekend, Kageyama?”

Tobio’s eyebrows pinched together in thought. “Oh, I’ll probably go to the gym, do some homework, watch old volleyball games, write out some new strategies…” As he talked, Hinata’s face dimmed, his grin becoming more forced. Confused, Tobio asked, “What’s wrong, Hinata?”

“You’re,” Hinata said, in a small voice. He twisted his fingers, and quietly said, “You’re not going to do anything for your birthday?”

Tobio tilted his head. He looked at his phone. Oh. Right. His birthday was tomorrow. “Um, no, I guess not? I usually don’t do anything special for it. My parents are busy and well, it’s so close to Christmas, my family doesn’t really celebrate it.”

“Kageyama!” Hinata slapped his arm, and Tobio flinched in shock at his boyfriend’s fervor. “This is unacceptable!”

“What is?”

Hinata clutched a hand to his chest, linking his other with Tobio’s. “Don’t worry, my little Tobio. I will make sure your birthday becomes the best one you’ve ever had!”

Tobio narrowed his eyebrows. “Wait, did you already have a plan or something?”

Hinata avoided his gaze. He mumbled, “well, I may have—you see, I only wanted to be a good—I wanted to spend some time—uh, I’ve gotta go!” His voice squeaked on his last few words and he let go of Tobio’s hand, sprinting away and abandoning his unfinished lunch.

Tobio stared after him. What was going through his boyfriend’s brain?

He continued to eat, contemplating their conversation in the silence.

Birthday celebrations had never seemed that important to Tobio. His birthday often went unnoticed with the stress of the end of the year, so he never minded spending the day alone.

Well, not really. He would’ve appreciated his parents taking some time off from their busy schedules to be with him, but… Tobio shook his head. He needed to stop being selfish.

The corners of his lips twitched upward. Spending his birthday with Hinata sounded too good to be true. A whole day together, holding each other’s hands while their noses turned red, drinking hot tea to escape the wintry weather, smiling secretly to themselves, as if they were the only two people left in the world...

Yeah, Tobio thought. Maybe this birthday would be the best one yet.

***

The rest of the day passed with the same dullness as before. Since it was the last day before winter break, the students became more and more restless. Whispered conversations grew louder, people shivered with anticipation, and finally, the teacher told them to stop the hubbub or else she would send them to detention. When she turned her back to erase the chalkboard, the students mumbled about how much they looked forward to escaping her tyranny for a few, blissful weeks.

As soon as the bell tolled for the end of the school day, people sprinted out of the classroom door, talking animatedly with their friends, exchanging presents, and laughing loudly. Tobio raced with them, though for a different reason. Today would be the last volleyball practice until after Christmas, and even those ones would be impromptu and optional.

When Tobio reached the outdoors, he breathed in the crisp, cold air. He walked down the outdoor hallway, to the gym, and was unsurprised to find he was the first one there.

Figures. He decided he should go on a quick run to warm up his body for practice, so he went to the club room to get changed.

After getting into his cold gear, black leggings and a long-sleeve that whisked away sweat, he began with a quick jog. He moved around the school yard, admiring the scenery as he went by. Stopping to stretch his limbs, he released the tightness in his muscles and relaxed into the hold.

The leaves had long since fallen, downtrodden and creating a brown foliage beneath his feet. The colorless grass had slivers of frost on their tips, cooling his body while he stretched on the ground.

After thoroughly preparing his limbs, he picked up his pace, running around the school with a fast tempo. Curiously, a small redhead never rushed to join him. He missed the complaining he usually had to suffer through for starting without his boyfriend, but maybe Hinata was late to practice.

Tobio ran through the grass, leaves crunching beneath his feet. When he finally felt warmed-up, he slowed his pace, the harsh air chilling his lungs. He loved running in the winter. The contrast of hot and cold made his body tingle, and he felt more alive than ever.

He walked the short way back to the gym, the faint noise of voices greeting his ears as he got closer. Before he reached the doorway, he heard Hinata ask, “so is everything still good? You’ll all be there?”

A chorus of voices responded in agreement, and Yamaguchi consoled his teammate. “Don’t worry, Hinata. Everything will go according to plan.”

“What’s going on?” Tobio asked, as he entered the gym. Hinata jumped in shock, eyes widening comically as he turned to Tobio. Hinata stuttered and tried to form words, but Yamaguchi came to his rescue.

“Oh, we were just talking about a volleyball practice we want to have over the break. Hinata wants to practice his serves before nationals, so he’ll have more control over them in the game.” Yamaguchi flashed a winning smile, and Tobio almost flinched from its brightness.

“It’s not like he’ll have enough time to make any worthwhile progress,” Tsukki said, rolling his eyes.

Hinata flushed in indignation. “Well, it doesn’t hurt to try, Saltyshima!”

“Whatever you say, Shrimp,” Tsukki replied.

“Hey, don’t rub your height in my face!” Tsukki raised an eyebrow in response, and Yamaguchi tried to stifle his laughter behind his hand.

“Alright, alright, let’s quit the chitchat and start practice,” Daichi said, clapping his hands to get their attention. Tobio turned to listen. “Nationals is just around the corner, and since this is our last official practice before then, try and make it count!”

Practice began with the usual warm-ups and stretching drills, but Tobio began to notice something was amiss.

Hinata was avoiding him. When Tobio tried to stand next to him in the circle, Hinata grabbed Yamaguchi’s hand and dragged him to the other side. Tobio tried to push back the twinge of jealousy.

During practice, Hinata was quieter than usual, ignoring Tobio’s teasing jabs with short responses, and talking in a low, secretive voice when on the sidelines. Even Tsukki was unable to get a further rise out of him, which confused the blonde when the usually boisterous boy fought back.

“What’s up with him?” Tsukki remarked.

Yamaguchi waved him off. “Oh, he just has some nervous energy.”

Tobio tried to question Yamaguchi further, but he received a similar cryptid response. “I’m sure you’ll find out, soon enough.” Yamaguchi winked. Tobio’s mind went blank, unsure of how to respond to the teasing.

After they had all cooled down and assembled in a circle, Coach Ukai gave some parting words of advice. “This is your chance to show the world what you’re made of. Keep up the good work, and you’ll be ready for nationals.”

“Thank you for your coaching, Ukai-san,” Daichi said.

“Don’t overwork yourselves, and have a good break!” Suga said, ending the practice by placing in his fist in the middle of their circle. Daichi gave a, “Karasuno, fight!” And the team shouted “Fight!” together.

They disassembled the equipment, taking down the nets and mopping the floors. Hinata raced around with his usual excitement, but Tobio thought he looked more jumpy than normal.

After showering and changing into warm clothes, Tobio said his goodbyes before starting his journey home, debating what he should get for dinner.

A voice shouted after him. “Kageyama-kun!” Tobio stopped, and Hinata raced to catch up with him. He slowed to a walk and then stopped next to his boyfriend, placing his hands on his knees while he caught his breath. It didn’t take long for him to recover due to his fitness. “I forgot how fast you walked with your long legs.”

Tobio bristled. “Well, maybe I would have waited for you if you weren’t avoiding me.”

Hinata blanched, his cheeks turning a furious shade of red. Tobio waited while Hinata fumbled over his words. “You see—it was just, well—“ Hinata stopped, taking a pause and staring at his feet. He mumbled, almost too soft to be heard, “I was only doing it because I was nervous.”

“Nervous?” Tobio asked. “Why?”

Hinata played with the tips of his gloves. “I… wanted to ask you something.”

Tobio’s breath caught. He stared at Hinata, but his boyfriend avoided his gaze. “What?”

“Can I… can I,” Hinata said. He shoved his heating face in his hands. “Can I stay at your house tonight?”

Tobio blinked. He stared. Then, as if the words hit him all at once, his face flourished a deep red, from his cheeks to the tips of his ears.

Hinata had stayed at his house before, but this would be the first time they had spent the night together as a couple.

Tobio shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He gulped. “Uh… yeah, I guess.”

Instantly, Hinata raised his head from his hands, and jumped in place. His face shined with a brilliant grin. “Really?”

“Yes. Sure. Yes. I want you to,” Tobio said. He hesitated. “But why do you want to come over so badly?”

Hinata stared at him, as if he were the dumbest person in the world. This hurt, because Hinata was pretty dumb, too. “Because it’s your birthday tomorrow? I want to be with you when it hits midnight so I can be the first person to wish you a happy birthday!” Hinata laughed. A soft smile lifted his lips. “And then, we can spend the whole day together.”

Tobio’s heart stuttered over a few beats. A smile of his own twitched to his face. How could he be so lucky?

He walked to close the gap between them, and caressed his boyfriend’s face with his gloved hands. “Thank you... That sounds wonderful.”

Hinata’s smile outshone the growing darkness around them. “Well, I guess we should get going then.”

“I guess we should.” Tobio made no effort to move. Instead, he drew their faces closer.

And if they spent a little time memorizing the shape of the other’s lips, well, the world was none the wiser.

***

By the time the boys had made it back to Tobio’s house, the grey skies had faded into a dark night. The moon and stars were blocked out by the thick clouds, and Tobio looked at them as he closed the door. “Is it supposed to snow?”

“Hmm.” Hinata hummed. “I don’t know. It does look like it, though.”

The boys took off their shoes and placed them on the shelf. Tobio took Hinata’s bag, placing it in his bedroom. Luckily, Hinata had already planned ahead to stay over, so they didn’t need to stop by his house for clothes. He traversed back into the living room, to see Hinata sitting on the couch.

He was curled up in a fluffy, throw blanket, singing off-key and wiggling his toes to a rhythm only he could feel. Tobio raised an eyebrow. “Comfortable?”

Hinata giggled. “Yes.” He moved the blanket aside. “But, I’d be more comfortable if you were here with me.”

Tobio rolled his eyes, but a slight redness tinted his cheeks despite his efforts to stop it. He sat down next to Hinata. “Am I supposed to lie on you? I don’t want to crush your small body.”

Hinata sputtered indignantly. “You won’t crush me! I’m strong enough to carry you!” He rolled his eyes and grumbled,“If you put most of your weight on the couch, I won’t have to hold you, anyway.”

Tobio sighed. Then, he did as Hinata told him, shifting on his right side in between Hinata and the couch. “Happy?”

“Almost!” Hinata said. He grabbed Tobio’s arm, placing it on Hinata’s abdomen. “Now, just rest your head on my chest, and we’ll be perfect!”

Tobio fought back another blush, but did as Hinata asked. The cotton fabric of Hinata’s shirt rubbed against his cheek. He could hear Hinata’s heartbeat, as rapid as Tobio’s own.

“There,” Hinata said. He placed his hand on Tobio’s head, before lightly fingering through the strands. “Are you comfortable?”

Tobio closed his eyes, murmuring in agreement. Hinata laughed lightly, and Tobio loved feeling the slight vibrations move through his boyfriend’s body. He leaned into Hinata’s touch, the delicate motions lulling him to sleep.

Tobio traced a pattern on Hinata’s chest. “Can I hold your other hand?”

Hinata smiled, bringing his right hand up and giving it to his boyfriend. Tobio handled the smaller hand carefully, studying it with reverence. He furrowed his brow, placing his hand opposite Hinata’s and frowning. “Your hand is tiny compared to mine.”

“What?” Hinata said. “No, it’s not!”

Tobio folded the tips of his fingers over Hinata’s own. His fingers were still slim, but were wider and longer than his boyfriend’s. Even his palm extended past Hinata’s smaller one. “Really?”

Hinata snatched his hand back. “Well, maybe you just have massive, gigantic ones! Stupid Kageyama!”

Tobio frowned. “Give it back to me.”

Hinata scoffed, shaking his head. “No! You’ll just make fun of me.”

“I didn’t mean it as an insult,” Tobio said, softly.

Hinata blinked down at him. “What?”

Tobio took Hinata’s hand, rubbing his palm with his thumb. “I love your hands.”

“Ka-Kageyama?”

“They’re soft, and small, yes. But.” Tobio sighed. “They’re strong, and capable, too. They can spike my sets, they can send in a serve, they can help in a strong block, they can high-five after a good play, they can cheer for our teammates, and.” He paused. “They can do so many other things. They hide your smile, even when you shake with laughter. They fiddle with one another when you’re nervous, though you try to be calm, anyway. They hold me close, tight to your body. And, they fit so perfectly,” He wrapped his fingers in his boyfriend’s. “Right in my own.”

Hinata smiled, thumb brushing Tobio’s palm. “You shouldn’t be so sweet. It ruins your cold facade.”

Tobio scowled. “I can be nice when I want to.”

“Okay, Kageyama.” Hinata winked. Then, a loud grumble emitted from his stomach.

Hinata blushed. “Oh. Guess I’m hungry.”

Tobio pulled his phone from his pocket, checking the time. It was already pretty late, past dinner time. “Want to get takeout?”

“Sure!”

***

While the boys returned from retrieving their dinner, a light snow descended around them. It tickled Tobio’s nose, but he enjoyed seeing the bright frost in Hinata’s hair. The snow sparkled in his fringe, making him an ethereal winter fairy.

Hinata held out a hand, a few flakes floating into his hand. “It looks like it’s getting heavier.”

“Hmm.” Tobio said. “Let’s get back, then.”

They picked up the pace, returning to Tobio’s place rather quickly. Tobio closed the door behind them, toeing off his shoes. He took the other bag from Hinata and brought them to the living room, sitting before the low table. They took out their food and began to eat ravenously.

“Mhm.” Hinata drank down the hot broth of his ramen. “I love hot food on a cold day.”

Tobio slurped up a few noodles, nodding in agreement. He enjoyed the company more than the food, though.

After they had finished eating and cleaning up, Tobio turned on the TV to see what was on. A weather report flashed on the screen, claiming heavy snowfall would continue well into the night.

“What?” Hinata said. “It’s supposed to be worse than I thought!”

Tobio nodded, shooting a quick text to his parents to ask if they were alright. They were in the city for work, supposed to return later that night.

Hinata groaned, throwing his back against the couch. “This ruins everything.”

Confused, Tobio asked, “Did you have plans for tomorrow, or something?”

Hinata flinched, and brushed back a section of hair behind his ear. Placing an arm over his eyes, he said, “I wanted to make this birthday memorable for you. I had a whole day planned out! First, we would go ice skating, and then we could check out the Christmas market, and after, go eat some pork buns—but a snow storm will ruin all my plans!”

Tobio rubbed Hinata’s shoulder, trying to soothe his irritation. “Hey, it’s okay.” He whispered the next words. “As long as I get to spend the day with you, it will automatically be the best one I’ve ever had.”

Hinata moved his arm away from his face, blinking at his boyfriend. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

Hinata put his arm down, and then crawled over to Tobio, throwing himself in his arms. “You really can be sweet, huh?”

“Only for you.”

Hinata smiled into his boyfriend’s chest. “Let’s watch a cheesy Christmas movie marathon and make fun of them the whole time.”

Tobio chuckled. “Sounds good to me.”

They tucked into the couch, this time with Hinata lying on Tobio’s chest. Tobio flipped through the channels until he found a Christmas movie already playing.

A few minutes into watching it, Tobio said, “Okay, what the actual fuck is going on?”

Hinata’s eyes narrowed. “I think he’s a cowboy, or something? And they met on a Greyhound bus? I’m not really sure.”

“But why was a cowboy riding the bus anyway?” Tobio asked. “Shouldn’t he be on a… horse, or a different kind of animal? Or is that stereotype? What does he need in the city, anyway?”

“Shh,” Hinata said. “Keep watching.”

As the movie progressed, the plot became even more insane. To Tobio, it seemed the director of the movie was trying to shove in as many clichés and tropes into the movie as possible, from missed connections to ice skating together to decorating (why were they always decorating when the house was already filled with decorations?!). He’s pretty sure they even made Christmas cookies, but he had dozed off at one point.

At the end of the movie, the cowboy came astride a horse to confess to the girl with a bouquet of roses. To Tobio’s bewilderment, the girl accepted, and the two rode off into the night together.

Shaking his head and pausing the television, Tobio turned to Hinata. “What the hell were those directors on—wait, are you crying?”

Hinata was sniffling, and rubbing his eyes. “No.”

“Don’t lie, Hinata.” Tobio leaned forward and wiped a tear from his boyfriend’s face.

“But, but, but!” Hinata blubbered, sitting up. Tobio followed. “It’s just so sweet! He knew he loved her and she knew she was meant for him and—and—”

Tobio rolled his eyes, but rubbed his boyfriend’s back to console him. “I didn’t know you were such a sap.”

“I’m not!” Hinata exclaimed, as tears continued to fall down his face. “I just—I just—I love watching people in love, okay?”

“Shh,” Tobio whispered. “It’s alright. I think that’s extremely sweet.”

Hinata inhaled deeply, trying to control his breaths. He tangled his hands together, and Tobio stilled them with his own. Hinata looked away, and then back to him. Then, he whispered, “It reminds me of how much I care about you.”

Tobio blushed. He moved toward him, placing a soft kiss on his boyfriend’s cheek. Hinata smiled, tracing the spot where Tobio’s lips had just been. He looked down at Tobio, leaning forward to return the favor, and—

A loud chiming disrupted their moment, beeping loudly in their ears.

“Oh!” Hinata said, pulling his phone from his pocket. “I’ll be right back!” Without waiting for a response, Hinata sprinted to the kitchen.

Confused, Tobio pulled his own phone from his pocket. A couple of texts from his mom and dad were left unread, so he opened them. They wrote that they’d decided to stay in the city for the night, due to the storm.

Tobio got up from the couch, and walked to the window.  By the light of the television, Tobio saw that the snow had gotten heavier, blanketing the world in a thick white sheet. The barren trees looked full, the snow coating their branches. Cars on the street glowed underneath the streetlights, and the powder glimmered in a sea of tiny diamonds. No person or animal disturbed the quiet fall, the universe silently enjoying the picturesque scene.

Tobio heard footsteps behind him, and turned away from the window. Hinata stood there, a chocolate cupcake in hand, with a blue candle in the middle. He held his hand around the flame, his lips tilted upwards in a smile. “Happy Birthday, Tobio.”

Tobio blushed at the use of his first name. He tried to regain his bearings. “Where did you get that?”

“I brought it over to your house this morning, after you left. Your mom said she would hide it for me.” Hinata laughed. “Now, let me sing to you so you can blow out the candle! It’s midnight, so it’s officially your birthday.”

Tobio checked his phone, confirming the time. Oh, Another year had passed. Shaking his head, he sat in front of the table, motioning Hinata to follow him. Hinata walked over carefully, setting the cupcake in front of Tobio. Then, he began to sing.

“Happy Birthday, to you! Happy Birthday, to you!” Hinata sang off-key, but Tobio didn’t mind. He loved the sound, anyway. “Happy Birthday, dear Tobio! Happy Birthday, to you!”

Tobio paused. He made a wish, holding it tight to his chest. Then, he blew out the candle, letting it go. Hinata clapped. “Yay! You’re officially another year older!”

Tobio smiled, tearing off a piece of cupcake and popping it into his mouth. Hinata mimicked the motion. “So, what did you wish for?”

Tobio held a finger to his lips. “It’s a secret.”

Hinata pouted, crossing his arms. “No fair!”

“It’s tradition,” Tobio said. “Besides, you don’t need to worry.”

“Why?”

“It already came true.”

***

The boys spent the rest of the night watching lame Christmas movies, with Tobio commenting about their terribleness, which never failed to make Hinata laugh. Even though Hinata threw in his own jabs, he always ended up getting misty-eyed at the end. Tobio smiled at his boyfriend’s soft heart, holding him close to his chest and wiping away his tears.

Hinata eventually fell asleep on Tobio, his chest rising and falling softly as he dreamed. Tobio carefully untangled their bodies, before carrying Hinata to his bed, lyying next to him. He, too, fell asleep, the warmth and comfort of sharing a space with Hinata lulling him into a deep slumber.

Tobio didn’t dream that night. Maybe because he was already living in one.

***

Tobio woke up early the next day, Hinata’s head on his chest, drool puddling on his shirt. He couldn’t find it in his heart to be disgusted, not when his boyfriend looked so soft and comfortable. Slowly, he extricated his limbs from Hinata, trying not to wake his boyfriend.

He changed into his running gear, and moved into the foyer. When he opened the door, he took a step back, eyes widening.

Tobio smacked his head. Duh. Idiot. The snow still covered the world, the streets blanketed in the thick heap. Some people had already shoveled their driveways and had left footprints, disturbing the even snow from where it had fallen.

Tobio sighed. Well. No running today.

He decided to expel his energy by clearing away his own driveway, changing into warmer clothes and grabbing a shovel from the garage to get started.

He cleared away the heavy snow, muscles warming up to the exercise. The process was methodical, much like his play style. He worked hard, shoveling away the heaps into neat piles, until he could see the ground again.

When he had finished, cold sweat dripping down his back, he wiped his forehead and admired his efforts. The streets needed to be cleared, but soon cars could resume traveling down them. At least, his parents could park whenever they returned home.

He placed the shovel back in the garage, taking off his wet gloves and hat. He removed his jacket, until he stood in just his thick leggings and long-sleeve shirt.

Shaking his head to dry the wet strands, he opened the garage door into his house. As he walked in, footsteps raced down the hallway and a warm body shot into his arms, holding him in a tight hug. Tobio looked down at his boyfriend’s bright hair, laughing.

“What was that for?” Tobio asked.

“I woke up and you were gone,” Hinata murmured into his chest. “I missed you.”

Tobio chuckled. “I wasn’t gone that long. You’re just needy.”

“No,” Hinata said, shaking his head. “I just like being with you.”

Tobio blushed, and pushed Hinata away. “I need to shower, but then I can make you some breakfast.”

“Yay!”

After showering and changing clothes, Tobio took over the process of preparing food, as Hinata usually had terrible accidents while cooking (“I only almost burned down the house twice, Kageyama! Only 2 times!”). He left Hinata in charge of making the rice since it was a pretty easy process and he usually did that at his own home.

Luckily, they avoided any potential disasters and finished preparing the food in a timely manner. Tobio grabbed plates and chopsticks for them, bringing them to the table. Hinata sat next to him, dishing heaping portions onto his own plate and inhaling his food at an impressive speed.

Tobio raised his eyebrows in amusement. “Maybe you’ll grow up big and strong if you keep eating like that.”

Hinata poked his tongue out, a grain of rice on the corner of his mouth. “I’m already strong. You said so yourself.”

Tobio’s mouth twitched. “I guess you’re right.” He leaned closer to Hinata. “Here.” He wiped away the rice with his thumb. “You had a little food on your face.”

Hinata blushed, but continued to shovel food into his mouth. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

They ate big portions of food, talking about their upcoming nationals tournament, and various plays they wanted to try when they could get to the gym.

Hinata sighed. “It sucks that it snowed so much, but at least the roads will be cleared soon.”

“Yeah,” Tobio said. “At least I get to spend more time with you.”

Hinata blushed. “Yeah, I guess that’s pretty cool.”

Tobio placed his chopsticks down. “So, what do we do, now?”

“Oh!” Hinata said. “Hold on, give me a second.” He rushed away, and Tobio stared after him.

Hinata returned a second later, a wrapped package in his hand. “This is for you.”

Tobio’s eyes widened. “Is this from you?”

“Yes, dummy.” He placed the square shape in front of Tobio. “Now, open it!”

Tobio took the package in his hands. Hinata wriggled next to him, vibrating with excitement. Knowing Hinata’s affinity for strange objects, Tobio prepared for the worst.

But, when he tore away the paper, a book cover with black, bold letters winked back at him.

“What is this?” He said, softly. The cover was adorned with an action shot of a volleyball player, readying to set the ball.

“It’s a book all about setters, the history of their position in volleyball, specific tactics used in games, and interviews with some of the best setters in the world!” Hinata exclaimed.

He looked at Tobio’s face, and his eyebrows furrowed at the blank expression he saw there. “If you don’t like it, I can always get you something else, I just thought it would be something you’d enjoy but I can return it and get you something different or—”

“No,” Tobio breathed. “No, this is perfect.”

Hinata stopped his rambling. His face lit up. “Really?”

“Yes.” Tobio traced the black lettering of the title: _The Setter’s Story_. “Thank you. This was extremely thoughtful of you.”

“Oh.” Hinata blushed, scratching his neck. “Yachi, Tsukki, and Yamaguchi helped me pick it out. I was worried, but they said you’d enjoy it. Or, at least, Tsukki said you ‘wouldn’t hate it’. But that’s about as nice as he gets.”

Tobio laughed. “Yeah, I know.”

Hinata smiled. “Well, you can start reading it, if you want. The roads should be cleared soon, and then we can go to my house, for, uh, hot chocolate.”

“Hot chocolate?” Tobio asked, confused. “I think we have some here, if you want it.”

“No!” Hinata squeaked. Tobio started. Hinata fiddled with his hands. “My, uh, mom wants to see you. To wish you a happy birthday! So, uh, yeah, we should go there, uh huh.”

“Okay?” Tobio raised an eyebrow but decided not to question it further.

Hinata put his hands down. “How about we hang out on the couch while you read? I have some people—I mean, some things to do on my phone.”

“Sure.” Tobio walked to the couch, leaning against the armrest and propping his legs up. Hinata sat rested his back against his legs, and began to furiously text or play a game on his phone. Tobio wasn’t sure. You could never really tell with him.

Tobio settled in, flipping through the various pages before deciding to start from the very beginning. The book started with discussing the history of volleyball, developing until it became the game it was today. Tobio engrossed himself in the history, most of which he knew, but learning new facts and tidbits along the way.

Usually, Tobio didn’t enjoy reading, especially during school. His eyes always glazed over and he could never focus for more than a few minutes before giving up. But when it was about something he cared about…

Well, then, he could read for as long as he wanted.

A few hours passed in comfortable silence, as Hinata typed on his phone and Tobio immersed himself in the world of the setter. Occasionally, Tobio would try to read what Hinata was typing, but he always turned away before he got a good look.

Huh. Tobio wondered what Hinata was being so secretive about. Well, it didn’t matter. He turned back to his book, trusting that Hinata would tell him if something was wrong.

Eventually, the snow plows moved throughout Tobio’s neighborhood, clearing away the big piles of snow from the street. The plows beeped and the workers’ voices trickled into his ear, but Tobio did not pay them any mind. He was lost in his own little world.

Hinata shifted, standing up, and Tobio looked after him. Hinata stretched, extending his hands and toes. “Are you ready to go?”

“Is it time?” Tobio asked, confused.

“Yeah, the roads are cleared and it’s already early afternoon. We should get going before it gets dark,” Hinata said.

Tobio blinked, and checked the time. Wow. This was the longest he had ever spent reading a book. “Okay, let’s go, then.”

They walked to the garage, before realizing they had a problem.

Hinata’s house was far away, so they needed to ride bikes to get there. Unfortunately, his father had taken their other bike, so Tobio only had one, and, just his luck, the tires were flat.

He frowned, turning to Hinata.“What should we do?”

“Well.” Hinata sighed. “Yesterday, when I brought the cupcake to your mom, I left my bike here, so we can take that one.”

Tobio blinked. “How are we supposed to fit two people on one bike?”

Hinata grinned mischievously. “Kageyama, I thought you were smarter than this.”

Tobio’s eyes widened. He shook his head. “No, I refuse to ride on the back! Nope, nope, no!”

“Come on,” Hinata whined. “It’ll be fun! The bike fits my height better, and I’m used to traveling through the mountains.”

Tobio sighed. “If I fall off, we’re calling your mom to come pick us up.”

Hinata’s face lit up. “I have faith in my legs, Kageyama!”

They grabbed Hinata’s bike, brushing off the snow, and arranging themselves on it. Hinata sat on the seat, while Tobio stood astride the axles.

Tobio wobbled. “This is slippery. The roads are slippery. This was a bad idea. A _very_ bad idea.”

Hinata smiled, shaking his head. “It’ll be over before you know it.”

They set off, Hinata adjusting to the added weight and Tobio praying his balance didn’t fail him.

The streets were fairly clear, and Hinata’s thick tires moved through them seamlessly. They almost slipped a few times, especially on the turns, but Hinata leaned his weight expertly, used to these roads.

“You’re pretty good at this,” Tobio commented, after Hinata saved them from yet another fall.

“You sound surprised,” Hinata said. He breathed easily, despite the added effort of Tobio’s weight and moving quickly through the slick streets. _An athlete in his prime,_ Tobio thought.

Tobio leaned close to Hinata’s ear. “I shouldn’t be. I’ve seen the strength in your thighs firsthand.”

Hinata blushed furiously, but kept looking at the road ahead. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Kageyama.”

Tobio hummed. “I can’t, when the view is so great from up here.”

Hinata turned back to Tobio with a gasp. “Ba-Bakeyama!”

Tobio winked. “Sorry. I won’t distract you, anymore.”

Hinata huffed, and turned back to the road. Sweat made his hair stick up funny, and Tobio was tempted to run his hands through it. But, well, he didn’t want to crash into a ravine today.

Tobio watched the mountains around them. The trees lifted upward, reaching for the sky, and the snow glittered happily back at him. He waved to passerbys, even though they shot him confused looks at the two of them. Tobio laughed to himself. This was fun, if a little scary, at first.

They made it to Hinata’s house without further incident. The snow had been cleared from the driveway, so they rode all the way to the top. Hinata set his bike against the house. He breathed heavily, pausing to catch his breath. Tobio handed him his backpack, and Hinata thanked him.

“Thanks for biking all the way here. I know it must have been hard, with me on back,” Tobio said.

Hinata waved him away. “It’s okay, you look heavier than you actually are. It was like carrying my sister.”

Tobio smacked Hinata’s arm, and Hinata laughed. “Shut up. I’m heavier than you, lightweight.”

Hinata chuckled. He grabbed his phone from his bag, and sent off a quick text. Then, he looked at Tobio. “We can go in, now. Mom’s home.”

Tobio nodded, and followed Hinata to the front door. Hinata smiled at him, shaking with energy as he moved to unlock the door. Tobio’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you so excited?”

Hinata leaned over to put his keys in the lock. “I’m just happy.”

“Alright,” Tobio said, unconvinced.

The lock clicked, and Hinata turned the knob. “Hello, we’re home!”

Tobio followed him into the dark house. As he toed off his shoes, Hinata flicked on the light.

“Surprise!”

Tobio turned quickly. All of his teammates grinned back at him, including the two managers. Tobio looked at all of them individually, from the smiling Yamaguchi to the smirking Tsukki. He blinked. Then, he turned back to Hinata.

“What’s going on?”

Hinata laughed, clutching his stomach. “It’s a surprise birthday party, stupid!”

“Oh,” Tobio said, intelligently. “Uh, thank you?”

“Wow, the king has such a way with words,” Tsukki snickered.

“Be nice, Tsukki.” Yamaguchi glared at his boyfriend. “It’s his birthday.”

Tobio shook his head, as his teammates bickered and laughed together. He leaned close to Hinata. “Why did you do all this?”

“Because.” Hinata smiled, and caught Tobio’s hand in his own. “I care about you. I wanted to make this birthday special for you. And so did all of our friends.”

The corners of Tobio’s mouth turned upward. “I don’t deserve you.”

Hinata laughed, a light blush dusting his cheek. “Stop it. You’re too sweet.” Hinata tugged on Tobio’s hand. “Come say hi to everyone!”

Tobio let Hinata drag him forward, going around the room and greeting everyone. He said thank you to Yamaguchi for helping Hinata with his present.

“It’s no problem!” Yamaguchi laughed. “Hinata was so worried about it! He wanted everything to go perfectly. I’ve never seen him so nervous, even before the game!”

“Yamaguchiiiiiiiiii! You’re embarrassing me!” Hinata huffed.

Yamaguchi chuckled, before continuing to speak. “He spent half the morning making sure everyone could still get here. Yachi didn’t have a ride so he messaged a ton of us to see if we could get her. Luckily, Tsukki’s mom had extra room in her car.”

“Thank you for doing that, Tsukki,” Tobio said to him.

Tsukki blinked. “It wasn’t a problem. She lives near me, anyway.”

Tobio smiled. “I still appreciate it.”

Tsukki grimaced. “Can you stop being sincere and shit? It’s grossing me out.”

Yamaguchi and Hinata laughed. Tobio smiled, despite himself. “Sorry for experiencing emotions.”

“You should be.”

When Tobio went to greet Yachi, the girl was shivering with as much excitement as Hinata. “I was so worried I was going to spoil the surprise! I’m terrible at keeping secrets.”

“I’m sure you’re not as bad as Hinata,” Tobio said.

“Hey!” Hinata exclaimed. “I didn’t tell you anything!”

Tobio raised his eyebrows. “You avoided me half of yesterday and acted nervous this whole morning.”

“Oh. Right.”

Yachi laughed. “I probably would have spilled the beans, but I guess my nervousness didn’t look any different from normal.”

“Hey, at least we don’t have any secrets now!” Hinata said, jumping up and down. “Now we can party for the rest of the day!”

“Yay!” Yachi said, mimicking Hinata’s motions.

Tobio rolled his eyes. “You two have too much energy.”

“But you like us anyways!” Hinata winked, stopping mid-jump. Well. He couldn’t argue with that.

“Time for cake!” Suga shouted, corralling his energetic teammates. “Vice-captain’s orders!”

“Don’t act like you’re not enjoying this,” Daichi said, narrowing his eyebrows.

Suga stuck out his tongue. “Why shouldn’t we have a little fun?”

Tobio made his way to the dining room, his teammates crowding around him. Suga brought out the cake,. He placed it in front of Tobio, and lit all of the candles.

His teammates sang him happy birthday, and Tobio watched them. Yamaguchi was flashing him a thumbs up, Tsukki looked slightly less disgruntled, and Yachi clapped while she sang. Suga and Daichi stood together, Suga trying to direct the chorus of voices with his hands while Daichi struggled to stop him.

But, Tobio only had eyes for Hinata, who stood opposite him.

Hinata’s eyes lit up as he sang, and he put his arms around Tanaka and Noya, swaying together as they competed for the loudest voice. Tobio smiled quietly to himself. He’d never tire of Hinata’s endless energy.

As they finished the song, Tobio held his wish close to his chest for the second time that day. He released it as he blew out the candles, his teammates clapping all around him. Some asked what he wished for, but he didn’t say. He wanted to keep that to himself.

Suga took the cake, and began to cut it in sections. Daichi passed the pieces out, threatening anyone who looked like they might shove cake in one of the other’s faces.

After the plates were handed out, Suga called them to attention again. “Wait, wait, wait! We have one last thing.” He looked to the other end of the room. “Hinata?”

Tobio followed his gaze, seeing Hinata standing with a bag in his hand. He shuffled in place, grinning sheepishly. “I thought about what would be a good present to give you, and the team worked together to make this, and it’s not much but, well, here you go.” Hinata shoved the bag into Tobio’s hand.

Tobio blinked. He removed the tissue paper, and took the spherical shape from the bag.

Hinata smiled. “It’s a volleyball. Obviously. But, I got everyone to sign it with little messages for you, so you could look at them from time to time.”

Tobio traced the words in black sharpie, covering the whole surface of the ball. He saw the sweet words from Yachi, the quick scribbles from Noya (filled with a lot of exclamation points), Tsukki’s (surprisingly) nice words about his skills and how Tobio was slowly becoming a ‘kind ruler’, and Yamaguchi’s positive encouragement about how he inspired them all to become better volleyball players.

Tobio looked at all of their messages, their kind words written just for him. He tried to choke back the tears threatening to fall down his face. “Thank you.”

“Oh, god. He’s being emotional. Time to leave,” Tsukki said, making a quick exit.

Their teammates all drifted out of the room, as Tobio covered his face, willing his tears to stop. Some looked like they might say something, but Tobio was glad when they left him alone.

Well, alone, except for his boyfriend standing in front of him.

“Are you okay?” Hinata asked, concern in his eyes.

“Yes, I’m fine.” Tobio inhaled deeply. “This is… it’s just—” He paused to wipe at the tears forming in his eyes. “This is the nicest thing anyone has done for me.”

Hinata smiled softly, understanding in his eyes. “See? You have tons of people who care about you. Even Tsukki cares, in his own way.”

Tobio laughed shakily. “I guess they do.”

Hinata caressed Tobio’s face, thumbing his cheek. Tobio captured his hand in his own.“Did you read my message?

Tobio shook his head. “I couldn’t find it.”

Hinata dropped his hand, taking the ball from Tobio and searching it intently. Finally, he found what he had been looking for. “Here. It’s there.”

Tobio took the ball back and read the small script:

 

 

_Tobio,_

_I wouldn’t be the player or the person I am, without you. You make life exhilarating, and I’m thankful for every day I get to spend with you. I hope you’ll let me share many more moments and memories with you. Let’s stand on the world stage, one day, together._

_I love you._

_Shouyou_

 

 

Tobio looked up at Hinata. A wobbly smile lifted his lips.“Thank you, Shouyou.” He paused. “I love you, too.”

Hinata smiled, tilting his head. “I know.”

They leaned in together, lips meeting in a careful embrace. Warmth filled Tobio’s veins, igniting a tingling energy throughout his body.

Nothing would ever feel as right as he did, in this moment.

Well, unless... unless it was a moment spent with Shouyou.

The snow might be outside, but right here, a fire blazed in his heart.

For now. And evermore.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey again! I hope you enjoyed the fic. I had a ton of fun writing it, especially for you, Silvio!
> 
> Shoutout to [Christie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kunimi/pseuds/kunimi) for beta reading. I appreciate you with all of my heart and soul.
> 
> Happy Holidays, everyone. Hope you have a wonderful 2019!


End file.
